Rotary water-meter



(No Model.)

- J. A. TILDEN.

ROTARY WATER METER.

Patented Dec. 27, 1892 n4: NORRIS vETERs co PHOYG Lmm. wAsmucTou, u. c.

UNITE STATES PATENT v()EEIcE.

JAMES A. TILDEN, OF HYDE PARK, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE HERSEYMANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF PORTLAND, MAINE.

' ROTARY WATER-METER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 488,587, dated December27, 1892.

Application filed July 20, 1891- Serial No. 400,190. (No model.)

To all whom it. may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES A. TILDEN, a citizen of theUnitedStates,residingatHyde Park, in the county of Norfolk and State ofMassachusetts,have invented a new and useful Improvement inTater-Meters, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming apart of the specification, in explaining its nature.

The object of this invention is to provide a meter which shall have fewparts, he inexpensive to build, and one'whieh shall have for its size,great capacity, and a required degree of accuracy.

The essential elements of the invention are found in the peculiar shapeof the piston chamber and of the piston, in the novel method ofsustaining the piston in the piston chamber, and of controlling itsaction therein. Also in the special manner of connecting the piston withthe registering mechanism. Also in the ease, forming the piston chamber,permanently lined with an anti-corrosive substance in a peculiar way bya process of molding.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical section of the meter andregistering mechanism on the line or a; of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is ahorizontal section on the line y y of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an elevation ofthe piston. Fig. f is a detail view representing a section of thecasing. Figs. 5 and 6 are detail views showing portions of the mechanismconnecting the piston with the registering devices.

The meter case preferably is formed in two parts, viz., the base orlower section A and the upper section A. The base has a flange a whichsurrounds the cavity or bottom a of the piston chamber and which is atrue section of a sphere and the inlet port a and the outlet port a Thebase also supports a tapering post A which preferably is cast integralwith it and rises from the center of the spherical cavity. The uppersection A is conical in shape from its apex or upper end a to the flangea, and the flange a rests in the recess a in the base A. The binding orclamping ring a rests upon the flange a and by means of bolts and nutsclamps it to the flange a of the lower section. The upper end or part aof the upper section of the meter case is cylindrical, is open at itstop and has the screw thread a upon which screws a stud cap 0. (see Fig.1). The inner surface or wall of the upper section A forms a trueconical chamber and with the spherical bottom a forms the piston chamberB. The post A terminates preferably in a rounded end which is so locatedthat its center is also the center of the hemispherical termination b ofthe conical chamber B. There is also in the piston or measuring chamberB, a radial partition or abutment C, which extends from the wall orsurface of the section A between the ports a a in the base to theconical post A The piston E consists of a hollow cone which terminatesat its top in a ball (2 of a size to fit the hemispherical cavity b ofthe case. The apex of the interior of the cone terminates in a roundedsurface 6' which fits the rounded termination c of the post A The pistonis also provided with a radial slot 6 which extends from the ball orapex e to its base and which is of a shape to allow the piston, when inposition in the chamber B to slide or swing on the abutment or partitionC during its gyration in the chamber. The circular lower edge e of thepiston is of a curve and shape to rest or very nearly rest upon thecurved bottom of the chamber in all positions which the piston may take.

The piston E in operative position in the measuring chamber B rests uponthe apex of the post A? with its rounded cavity '6 and" with theabutment or partition C in the slot e The construction of the parts issuch that the conical piston serves with the abutment C to divide themeasuring chamber into measuring spaces, namely, where the piston joinsor is in contact with the partition 0, where its exterior comes incontact with the wall I) or its interior in contact with the conicalprojeetion A and where its lower edge 6 comes in contact or very nearlyin contact with the chamber bottom.

While the construction, shape and proportion of the parts are such thatthe conical piston, acting in conjunction with the abutment, serves todivide the piston chamber into parts, the lines of division areConstantly changing as the piston is constantly moving or gyrating aboutthe chamber and maintaining a continually changing contact with the sidewall from its apex to its base, while at the same time it is movingforward and back on the partition plate 0.

The inner surface of the section A and the upper surface of the base Iprefer to finish by a lining of thin hard rubber permanently fixed orsecured to the case and forming a part thereof. This I accomplish byprovidingthe casing with numerous dovetail or other recesses or holes fand molding the rubber to the shell and in said recesses or holes underheat and pressure or by vulcanization, and when so applied to the casethe rubber fills the holes or recesses and serves to knit or bind thelining permanently and securely to the shell. Of course, I may use inlieu of the dovetail recesses or holes any other suitable method ofattaching hard rubber to the case. By so attaching the hard rubberlining to the meter case, a very much smaller amount of hard rubber isnecessary for providing a lining than when the ordinary method ofemploying removable linings of hard rubber is used, and the meter casecan be made smaller and more compact. Consequently, a more economicalmeter can be made. WVhile I have represented the fixed lining asapplicable to the case of the meter herein specified, I would not limitmyself to its use in this particular class of meters.

I will now proceed to describe my method of controlling the piston andobtaining registration therefrom. The piston is provided at theextremity of the ball c with a pin g, upon which is a small roll G. Thisroll, either directly or indirectly, bears against the lower end of agyrating pin H, which is used for the double purpose of controlling thepiston, that is, keeping the piston in contact with the wall of thepiston chamber, and imparting motion to the registering train H in amanner described in previous patents. This gyrating pin 11 preferably isprovided with a small roll it, against which the roll carried by thepiston bears. The pin H passes through and is held by a flexible packingh which is in the form of a disk 71. held between the cap stud a and aflanged sleeve 71 (see Fig. 1,) and which has a downward extensionthrough which the pin H runs. The resistance of this flexible packing,which preferably is made of rubber and the spring thereof are sufficientto cause the piston to assume the position shown in Fig. 1. Now, as thepiston gyrates about the chamber, the position shown in Fig. 1 is one ofany number of positions which the piston will take, and as the motion ofthe piston is constant, a revolving movement will be imparted to thelower end of the gyrating pin and a similar revolving motion to theupper end which engages wlth the reg istering train. While the spring ofthe flexible packing is sufficient to maintain the piston in positionfor all ordinary purposes, I prefer to use in addition an independentroll m mounted upon the pin 11 and arranged to bear or roll against theinterior of the wall of the chamber m. WVithout this roll the piston iscontrolled in a flexible relation to the chamber, but with the roll therelation is more positive. Lprefer to use a roll somewhat smaller thanwould be required for a positive connection. The construction as a wholeaffords a very desirable and practicable method of controlling thepiston, and at the same time obtaining registration therefrom. There maybe attached to the gyrating pin a flexible cap N to prevent particles ofgrit and hard matter from enteringthe conical cavity a below it andwedging the gyrating pin. And the inclosed space may, if desired, befilled with a liquid.

It will be observed that the piston is supported by the conicalprojection A and that the conical projection not only acts to supportthe piston, but that it also acts to make a joint over its entire lengthwith the piston. It is not essential that this support should betapering, neither is it essential that the piston be carried on the endof the support in the manner shown. The ball on the end of the piston,for instance, may have the same spherical contour on the under side thatit has on the upper, and the upper end of the support would then be madeconcave to receive it, rather than rounded.

Having thus fully described my invention I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent of the United States,

1. In a water meter the combination of a piston chamber having a sidewall to form a hollow cone provided with a spherical upper end and abottom forming a true section ofa spherical cavity, and having a chamberunderneath the main spherical Wall divided to form distributing chambersfor the inlet and outlet passages, with a gyrating hollow coneshapedpiston of an angle smaller than that of the conical wall of the pistonchamber and mounted in said chamber, as and for the purposes described.

2. In a water Inetera piston chamber formed or shaped upon one end orbase to a true sec tion of a spherical cavity, and a conical wallextending or rising from the edge of said end or base, a post in saidchamber, connected upon one side with the wall by a partition, a portupon each side of said partition, and a gyrating hollow cone-shapedpiston mounted upon said support and of a less angle than the angle ofthe conical wall of the piston chamber, and having a slot in one side toreceive the partition, as and for the purposes described.

3. The piston chamber having the regularly curved base, conical wall andregularly curved upper end, the projection or post A the partition 0between the post and the wall, the hollow piston E, having the curved orball apex e to fit the curved upper end of the piston chamber, and theslot 6 and mounted upon said projection and partition, and provided witha gyrating movement in said chamber by the water pressure, substantiallyas described.

4. The combination of the base A, having a water inlet and a wateroutlet, ports connecting them with the piston chamber, the pistonchamber shaped as specified,the post A partition G, and slotted hollowconical piston E, mounted and operated in the chamber as specified, asand for the purposes described.

5. The combination in a water meter of the base section A, having awater inlet and Water outlet, the ports, the post A the flange a andcircular recess M, with the clamping ring a to clamp the flange a to thebase flange a, the partition 0 between the post A and the wall of thepiston chamber, the slotted hollow piston E, mounted in the pistonchamber as specified, as and for the purposes described.

6. The combination'of the piston chamber,

shaped as specified, the projection A and partition O, the inlet andoutlet ports, the piston E, shaped as specified, and mounted in thepiston chamber, as described, whereby under water pressure it isprovided with a gyrating movement, and an auxiliary device bearing uponthe piston to assist the water pressure to maintain the piston in propercontact with the wall of the piston chamber during its gyratingmovement, as and for the purposes specified.

7. The combination of the gyrating rod H, provided with a flexiblepacking h formed thereon, a hole in the stud cap a, through which itpasses, and a flexible hole cover attached to the rod to move with it,as and for the purposes described.

JAMES A. TILDEN.

Witnesses:-

F. F. RAYMOND, 2d, J. M. DOLAN.

